5 Ways to be the Best House Guest This Holiday Season

The holidays are just around the corner, which means you and your family will soon be heading to your relatives for the long Thanksgiving weekend. You brought your famous homemade cranberry sauce and even remembered to wear the tacky sweater your mother-in-law gave you last year, but you are still anxious about sleeping in a different bed.

You remember last year how stressful it can be hosting for the holidays, so how can you go about being the perfect guest? See the list below for some best practices on how to make your short stay go from “nay” to “yay.”

1. Don’t Show Up Empty-Handed.

Hosting for the holidays is never an easy feat. Show your host that you appreciate their effort to make a little more room for you by bringing a small token of appreciation. This could be a personalized gift or homemade item; but regardless of what you bring, it is always considered a nice gesture. A bottle of wine or a holiday-scented candle are great go-to’s for those that need a quick and easy gift.

2. Remember: Timing is Everything.

Everyone hates a guest that overstays their welcome. To avoid being the visitor who can’t take a hint, set up a schedule beforehand. This will set clear expectations for everyone involved and give the hostess some peace of mind. Agree to a time-frame in advance, and stick to it. That way, you and your host both know what to plan for.

3. Know Your Bedroom Etiquette.

Regardless of how long you are hosted for the holidays, there is no excuse for having a messy bed. Your morning routine of making the bed should continue — even if you don’t make your bed at home, just pretend! Not only does it make the bed cozier to get back into at night, but this simple task gives off the appearance of being an organized and polite house guest. Also, don’t forget to undress the bed when you leave and leave your used sheets in the laundry. This gives your host one less step to do when they begin cleaning after you’ve left.

4. Avoid Being a Helicopter Guest.

Give your host some space. Ask to help out when they look frazzled or stressed, but don’t swarm them with questions every 5 minutes. No one likes a guest that is constantly looking for ways to get involved, after all, you are the guest — so act like one! This does not excuse you from doing the dishes, but make sure to give your host some room to breathe in their own home.

5. Write a Thank-You Note and Mean It.

After the holidays are over and you’ve gone your separate ways, always remember to thank your host. Although you may have said it as you piled back into the car, nothing shows your gratitude for someone opening their home to you like a hand-written note. It will make your host feel appreciated and will make you stand out from the other guests, ensuring that you’ll be invited to stay with them again!

Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll be the best guest for your hostess with the mostess. Safe travels!

About The Author

The Daily Dozers The Daily Dozers is a team of our finest Mattress Firm sleep happy experts, pooling their expertise to bring you all you need to know on sleep news of the day and the latest trends in sleep health. Sometimes our team of regular Daily Doze contributors (Craig, Ken and Sunni…not to name names) will throw a pillow or two when trying to decide who gets to write about which topic; and when that happens, we let our task force of daily dozin’ specialists play referee, pooling their knowledge on the topic. From super-sized snoring habits to the very real struggle of trying to become a morning person, there’s no topic too tired for The Daily Dozers.
Best Night’s Sleep: There’s nothing that this dream team loves more than long walks on the beach to prepare for a peaceful slumber, a warm cup of lavender tea, an old Jane Austen novel and curling up in the comfort of their very own Mattress Firm beds.